


Musically Yours

by VividDayDreamer



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: AgentCorp, Alex is studying music, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Don’t copy to another site, Dorks in Love, F/F, Falling In Love, Kissing, Lena wants to be a musician, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, Other Characters From The Show Make Cameo Appearances, Romance, Song Based
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-11 05:53:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20541164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VividDayDreamer/pseuds/VividDayDreamer
Summary: Lena's life had always been dictated by her mother's wishes from such a young age, priming her to one day be the face of Luthor Corp.  However, Lena eventually finds a passion for music and realizes that she as a natural talent for it.  Lillian found this to be a distraction from her education and cuts her off from it altogether.Wanting to pursue this creative path as her future career, she rebels against Lillian's wishes.  With her prior instructor's advice, she signs up for a well-known charity performance, catered to the well-to-do of National City.Along the way, Kara reintroduces Lena to Alex, who's studying musical arts in college, to assist Lena with this tremendous feat.  Lena hopes that by succeeding in the event, that her mother see her true potential as an artist, and allow her to follow her heart.  Little did she know that her heart will also lead her to fall for Alex.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   

> 
> Hey guys! I'm back with another musical based fic. This one kind of ran away when I started writing it (if any of you guys followed my Tumblr updates, you probably already knew it was because these two knuckleheads couldn't stop pining over one another and dragged on my story. SMH). Anyway, because of that, this became a two chapter story. The actual song that this fic is based on, doesn't make an appearance until the next chapter (which is done, just needs editing).
> 
> For now though, here's the reference to the song that Lena/Alex were using in this chapter:
> 
> "[Someone Like You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfNzLU5W4zM)," from the Jekyll and Hyde Musical: 
>   * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfNzLU5W4zM
> 
> (Also, a special thanks goes to [Shatterpath](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatterpath/pseuds/Shatterpath) for helping me out with some formatting issues that was driving me nuts.)
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
>   


  


It was a cool, clear night. The dark sky was sparsely decorated with a sliver of the moon and a sprinkling of the brightest stars, of which shone faintly due to the ever present light pollution; a typical drawback of living within close proximity to a large city. The suburbs were nice though. It was a temporary escape from the hustle and bustle of overcrowded streets, traffic, rowdy residents and tourists alike, and really, just noise in general. There was a sense of serenity, one that Lillian insisted on having, considering she ran the family business and found herself living most of her hours in the concrete jungle. She needed the temporary reprieve to keep what little sanity she had. The woman was usually so wound up, that Lena had to take care to not irritate her, for fear of being on the receiving end of all the pent up anger and frustration and lack of sleep that the woman was all to familiar with.

Often times, Lena found herself alone in their rather large suburban home, located in the ritzier part of town. Tonight was no different. And, though it was rather lonesome at times, the isolation she felt in the calm of the night was something she always looked forward to. It was something she needed as well. Her mother's constant intervention in her life choices stressed her out to no end. Lillian insisted that she was to inherit the family business one day. It was the frequent lecture of being a Luthor, one of brilliant mind, whose talents needed to be nurtured, guided and applied in the most useful way, so that one day she would become Lena Luthor, esteemed CEO of Luthor Corp. 

Right now though, Lena was just a teenager. One who'd been sent to private school all her life, and made to focus on priming her success in areas of science and business alike. Her extracurriculars were tailored as well, to make sure it'd benefit her in the future. It included equestrianism, the chess club, debate club, dancing, and as of late, music. The irony was that as much as she hated a pre-determined curriculum, Lena found a passion in music, all while learning how to play the piano. Out of everything she'd been "forced" to participate in, music was the one she felt most connected to. It became an outlet for her emotions, and was one that fed them as well. She put so much of herself in it — thriving in it even — that her instructor had insisted that she participate in opportunities that showcased her talents, and take even more lessons to hone in on her natural abilities. He believed that she could be big one day, and Lena wanted nothing more. However, as she fell into her desire to be a singer/song-writer/musician, her efforts in other areas of her life began to dwindle. She skipped out on her equestrian lessons and occasionally slipped out of her debate and chess activities too. Eventually, her mother had become aware of Lena's tardiness and was scolded for it.

  


_"A well-rounded woman is needed to succeed in this world, Lena. As much as music is an important facet, so is everything else. You need to start taking it all seriously," the words left Lillian's mouth with a near growl. _

  


_Her mother stood in front of her, her face stern and hard. Her arms were crossed loosely, but her body was poised with authority._

  


_"I don't want to do anything else, mother!" Lena argued back. "I love music, and Mr. J'onzz believes I may have a future with it."_

  


_Her mother scoffed; the huff of laughter, admonished the thought._

  


_"Lena, there is no future for you in music. Music is an art. There is nothing beneficial that will come out of it. Not for you. Your talents have proven to be well beyond most of your age, and it is best served at Luthor Corp. You will invent and discover and deliver inventions that will better this world, Lena. Use your head. Luthor Corp is for the greater good. It is your future. Your destiny."_

  


_With tears of rage, Lena grit her teeth and her fists remained clenched by her sides. She knew what she was 'supposed' to do, but it wasn't what she 'wanted' to do. She found fulfilment in music. That's where she belonged, not in some lab, or behind some fancy desk. But she couldn't do anything. She was still too young, and her mother held control of her inheritance. She was nothing without her mother. There was too much she still depended on her for._

_In the end, Lillian didn't trust Lena when she said that she'd continue to focus her attention across all activities equally. Therefore, to make sure of it, Lillian ceased paying for any sort of musical instruction. However, she did concede in allowing the piano to remain in their possession. It was a luxurious piece to have in a prestigious home anyway, or so Lillian acknowledged._

  


* * *

  


Lena had music cut out of her life so suddenly, that it left a gaping hole in her soul. She occasionally played the piano when the urge was too strong, when her emotions had overrun her, or when she just needed something to let her have a taste of that missing piece of her; the one that made her feel alive. 

Her separation from her instructor had only been two weeks in when she received an email from him. Within it was a flyer that advertised a local charity concert and would be held for the wealthiest of National City. Musicians of the entire elite community were encouraged to join. As a bonus, to further promote the event, it also made mention of a few of the local, prestigious artists who Lena knew and admired. They were set to be the feature acts.

  


> 
>     _Lena,_  
>     
>     _I believe you would be a wonderful addition to this performance.  It would showcase the talents I know you to have.  You have such potential._  
>     
>     _Your mother believes art is something unworthy, but that's not true.  You know how important it is.  I know you feel it.  I urge you to consider participating in this.  Once your mother sees your true abilities, she cannot deny where you belong._  
>     
>     _You will need someone to guide you.  Unfortunately, it seems your mother has put an extraneous ban on your association with any of the local musical instructors.  Me, included.  It will be a challenge, but I know you can do this.  And when you do, Lena, you will be free._  
>     
>     _I wish you all the best._  
>     
>     _- J'onn J'onzz_  
>     
>     

  


Tears fell from Lena's eyes when she read that. To have someone believe in her, to want her to succeed so badly in something she desperately felt connected to, broke her. She wanted to prove herself. She wanted to make her mother see her other talent; the one she believed contributed to society just as well as science did. She also wanted to make Mr. J'onzz proud. Lena wouldn't have gotten to where she was today, musically, if it wasn't for his teachings.

She printed the flyer and kept it close, folded up and hidden in her pocket, her purse, or her bag. She kept it on her person at all times so that she could remind herself of her goal, whenever she felt repressed by her mother, was bored in class, or found herself losing her mind.

She applied in person, a few days after she had gotten that email, and spoke to a few of the organizers of the event while doing so. In the process, she managed to receive such wonderful mentorship and advice, that Lena immediately longed to be part of that community. They were warm and caring people who saw music as something so intrinsically wonderful for society, that it only emboldened her further to pursue music as a career. One woman in particular, a violinist, told her that she'd participated in this event many times. She spoke of her most successful performance to date, one in which she delivered an original piece she wrote herself. The song was meant as a tribute to her grandfather, her long-time instructor who passed earlier that year. The story was told with such feeling and passion and awe, that Lena couldn't even imagine what telling that same tale through music would have done to its audience. She made her decision then and there, to write an original piece. If she was going to do this, if she was going to rebel against everything her mother had prepped her for, if she was going to prove that she was worthy of pursuing the life of a musician, she had to go big.

And on this calm, clear night, nearly two weeks after she'd signed up for the concert, she found herself staring up at the sky, a bit disheartened at not having anything to inspire that one, perfect song. She knew it was within her though. Those verses, the chorus, the melody. They were in there. Somewhere. She just had to unlock the door from which they were hidden behind. There was about six months before the performance, which gave her a lot of breathing room, but not, all at the same time.

  


"Lena?"

  


Lena looked around her moonlit surroundings, trying to focus her attention to where that voice came from. Eventually, she saw part of a hand waving over the tall, white fencing of the yard. She smiled to herself. The view was a bit comical, since the both the fence and the various shrubbery hid enough of the person, that it barely displayed the fingers that were saying hello.

  


"Kara?"

  


Kara eventually jumped when she heard her name, and Lena caught the brief appearance of her friend's face. She chuckled at seeing the blonde do that about two more times before she just told Kara to come over. When Kara finally did, she plopped herself down on the blanket that Lena had been laying on. They hugged and started chatting.

  


"How did you know I was out here?"

"I heard you humming."

"I was humming?"

"Mhmmm. It was pretty. You have such a pretty voice, Lena."

"Thank you," Lena said with a smile. Mr. J'onzz had said the same thing to her once before.

"I haven't seen you in a while, Kara. How was your trip?"

"Oh, it was wonderful! We went up to the cabin, and everyone was there. Even Alex! It was so nice to have everybody together for once. Work and school keeps us all apart these days."

Lena hummed in agreement. "I understand how that is."

"Your mom?"

"Yes. But, honestly, as much as I'd like her to be part of my life more, sometimes...well, especially recently, I do enjoy the time away from her."

  


Kara frowned. She knew that Lena and her mother had a troubled relationship, and knowing how lucky she felt to have her sister and her parents, she couldn't even imagine how difficult it must be, to not have a family to enjoy her time with. She didn't want to trouble Lena so late in the evening by asking for details, so she just decided to skip the subject altogether. At least for now.

  


"Well, at least you still have music right?" Kara said with glee.

"Oh, I hadn't caught you up."

"What do you mean?"

"My mother pulled me out of my music lessons."

"She what?!"

  


Lena then proceeded to tell Kara everything: Her mother's scolding, the banning of her interaction with any known music instructors, the note from Mr. J'onzz. Everything.

  


"Oh my gosh, Lena. You HAVE to do this. I...I think Mr. J'onzz is right. It'll set everything straight once your mother sees and hears you perform. You're so incredibly talented, Lena!"

"I'm trying, Kara. I really am. I signed up, and I've been toying with some lyrics and melodies, but nothing's working. I wish...I wish I had someone to help me, even a little, but my mother practically killed all those options with her stupid ban."

  


As they sat next to each other on the blanket, Kara leaned her head on her friend's shoulder, trying to come up with some ideas to help her.

  


"The internet? I mean, you could probably find someone to help you there, right?"

"No one I found was willing to work for free. Honestly, I can't blame them. Music is a tough business. And, as much money as I 'should' have, it's all controlled by my mother," she paused and sighed heavily. "There were a few who were willing to help for free, but unfortunately, they couldn't commit to it because their time was limited. I just don't know what to do..."

  


Kara scrunched her face up, disgusted by the idea that Lillian Luthor, one of the wealthiest people in the country, wouldn't allow Lena to have money of her own to spend on the things she wanted. 

They sat in silence for a few minutes until a lightbulb went on, and Kara jumped, jostling Lena in surprise.

  


"Oh my god, I know who can help you!"

"Who?"

"Alex! My sister!"

"Your sister?"

"She's in college. It's her second year, but she's studying music! She actually was part of a local band in high school. You remember right? And she was also part of several music clubs. I'm sure she could help you!"

"Kara, I've only met your sister a handful of times, and that was years ago. I'm sure she doesn't even remember me. Plus, she's most likely busy with her studies anyway. It wouldn't be fair of me to manipulate her time."

"Nonsense! I'm sure she'd help!"

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, for one, she's my sister. She'd consider everything I asked," Kara said with a smug and wide grin. "Also, with her coursework and what not, I'm sure she's looking to gain some experience under her belt to beef up her portfolio even more. Teaching and helping you show off at this big concert — for the elite no less — will definitely be something that would interest her."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. She'll be around tomorrow. I'll ask her, and you guys can talk it out. It'll be great, Lena!"

Lena pondered it, but only for a second before she smiled and embraced her friend. What could she lose?

  


* * *

  


The next day, Lena opened her door, surprised to see both Alex and Kara standing there. It had been years since Lena saw Alex. Her hair was much shorter now — redder — and was sporting a trendy and stylish undercut. She remembered her briefly in high school, but now, it looked like Alex had grown into her skin. Lena couldn't explain it, but Alex appeared like she'd found herself, and wasn't this anxious, rebellious teenager that she once knew. She found her eyes lingering a little too long, which caused Alex to fidget and blush a bit — something Alex tried to hide as she nervously rubbed the back of her neck.

  


"Lena, you remember Alex, right?"

"Yes, of course," Lena said as she reached out her hand. However, she was taken aback when Alex gave her a friendly hug instead. Retreating after a brief time, Alex's eyes darted away, as if she was immediately embarrassed by doing so.

"I um...I hope that was okay. I feel like I know you. Like there hadn't been time lost in any way. Well, besides appearances," she said, blushing a bit more at the confession of seeing Lena's beautiful features, but quickly continued. "Kara talks about you non-stop. You're practically a household name."

"It's fine, Alex," Lena smiled, blushing a little herself. "I'm flattered that Kara finds me interesting enough to keep rambling on about me. I hope they're good things."

"Hmm...generally."

"Generally?"

"She did kind of tell me how you freaked out when you had to dissect that baby pig in bio and nearly lost your lunch," Alex said, biting her lips to try to hide her amusement.

"Kara!" Lena exclaimed.

"What?! It was THE major event on that extra boooring day. I couldn't help it."

  


Everyone chuckled. Lena and Alex exchanged a silent glance; one of Lena apologizing to Alex for having to hear about something so trivial and embarrassing, and Alex's facial expression practically saying that it was okay. And even though the exchange was brief, Kara picked up on the subtle body language and signals they gave off, all of which apparently was lost on them both.

  


* * *

  


They gathered in Lena's bedroom, where Lena had given Alex the full breakdown of the events first-hand, the situation she found herself in, her goal, and her thoughts.

  


"That's a high aspiration, Lena," Alex muttered without much thought.

  


Her eyes were focused on the high pile rug beneath her, as her fingers toyed with its texture; her mind was clearly lost in thought. It wasn't until Kara elbowed her side and gave her a 'you're-not-helping' stare, that Alex caught on. Her eyes went wide at the realization of it.

  


"Oh my god, Lena. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that any of it was impossible. Just that it was a lot to take in. I'm sure that you can—"

"Alex, it's fine," Lena interrupted. She wore a smile to prove her sincerity, but in truth, she was just as worried about being able to pull off this so-called miracle too.

  


A minute or two later, Alex spoke up again.

  


"I've seen the performances before. Well, on YouTube. I've heard of some of the performers too. They're top class musicians. Their work is amazing. I've also heard that a lot of people apply to be part of it, but not everyone gets selected. Have you gone through the audition yet?"

  


There was a quiet pause. She'd been so caught up between classes, extracurriculars, her mother, and what song she'd perform, that she'd forgotten all about the audition. She cursed herself for putting the cart before the horse, now worried that she might not even make it on stage. The look of shock, mixed in with concern and silence, gave Alex the answer she needed. She placed a hand on top of Lena's, which pulled her back to the present.

  


"It's okay, Lena. I'll help you. We'll figure this out. You don't need your final act for the audition anyway. If I remember right, they just need to hear what you're capable of. They'll re-evaluate a few months after, to see what everyone's final performance is, then make adjustments to the line-up if they need to. If you're anything as good as Kara boasts, you'll do fine."

  


Lena couldn't explain it, but Alex's unsolicited words of support filled her heart with so much hope, that tears threatened to fall. And when she smiled, they did. Alex had become the third person who believed in her and her dream.

  


* * *

  


At first, Alex worked with Lena in selecting a song; something that would showcase her talent on the piano and her voice. It took some time, but eventually, they'd decided on something that Mr. J'onzz had worked with Lena on, and said that it was the first time he'd recognized her true potential. But, with Alex having to juggle classes and coursework, she had to do some sessions with Lena remotely. The deal was that Lena would record herself, send it to Alex and in turn, Alex would respond back with feedback and pointers. Occasionally, they'd do a live video chat. Over the weekends though, Alex dropped by to check in with Lena in person.

Their routine went on like this for the next month. 

On the day before the performance, Alex was on video chat, listening to Lena play the final version of the song.

  


"Wow. You've totally got this Lee."

  


It was the first time Alex had called her anything but her first name. In fact, no one's really called her by that nickname before. For some reason, it caused Lena to blush.

  


"Thanks, Alex. I couldn't have done this without you."

"Nothing I did, really. You already knew this song. You had the melody and vocals all set before I even came into the picture. This was all you," Alex said earnestly.

"True, but you helped me select it. I'd nearly forgotten about this song, and it's been so long since I've played it. And then, you helped pick up on some inflections in my voice and places I needed to adjust. I think I sound way better now, than I did when I first performed this song. You've really got an ear for music, Alex."

  


Lena watched a bashful smile appear on her friend's face, so she smiled in return.

  


"Okay, so maybe I helped a little," she chuckled. "Regardless, you're gonna ace it tomorrow. I know it."

"You're still coming, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

  


Those last words stuck to Lena for some reason, and it made her fondness for Alex grow even more.

  


* * *

  


It was the day of the auditions, and it was being held at a theater in National City. Lena paced nervously behind the curtain, waiting for her turn. Alex, on the other hand, ran over the minute she arrived, finding Lena wrecked with anxiousness.

  


"Oh my god, I'm so sorry I'm late. Stupid city traffic. I— Lena? Are you okay?"

"I'm just so nervous. Maybe...maybe this was a mistake. I'm not as good as any of those other performers, Alex. What if I don't make it? What if I make a fool out of myself? What if I end up missing a note or two? What if my voice cracks right in the middle of my song? What if—"

"Alright, alright, hold on."

  


Alex placed her hands on Lena's shoulders, grounding her with her strength.

  


"Lena, look at me."

  


With their faces spaced just a few inches apart, their eyes locked onto one another. Alex was suddenly mesmerized by Lena's bright green eyes, of which were staring right at her. She was caught up for what felt like minutes, until she blinked away, realizing that she'd been distracted. She huffed out the breath that she'd apparently been holding, and eventually returned her gaze.

  


"Lena, you'll do fine. You've practiced like a million times. You know this song. And, worse case, if you do slip up, just keep going, okay? These guys...they know that people are nervous and may screw up. The important thing is that you keep going. Show them what you can do. They're just looking for a general performance, one that will capture the audience, and one that speaks from the heart. You've got all that, Lee. You got it."

  


Lena stared into Alex's eyes and found something there. There was a sense of confidence, but also warmth. The accompanying smile didn't hurt either. It calmed Lena significantly, and once she did, she nodded.

  


"You got this, Lee," Alex repeated one more time. "Now, just take deep breaths, okay? Relax a bit. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Good. Keep going."

  


Alex watched as Lena went through the motions, their eyes never leaving one other. Eventually, Lena's breathing slowed; her attention was now focused on the beautiful woman in front of her, the closeness of their bodies, the warmth of Alex's hands on her shoulders, the calming brown eyes staring at her, that genuine, soft smile, accenting her face, those lips—

  


"Lena Luthor?"

  


Lena's thoughts were rudely broken by the voice of the stage manager. The unexpected interruption caused them both to suddenly step away from each other.

  


"Um...yes, that's me."

"You're on next."

  


Lena nodded, then turned back towards Alex. Alex gave that soft smile once more, then pulled Lena into a hug. This hug was unlike all the others they've shared. It was tighter. Firmer. Closer. And for a second, the world paused. Lena closed her eyes, took in the scent that was Alex, and relaxed into the embrace. And when Alex let her go, nearly all the anxiousness had left.

  


"You're gonna kill it out there. You got this, Lee. And don't worry, I'll be right here, okay?"

  


Lena stepped away slightly, but their arms still held the one another's. She took in Alex's words, then smiled and nodded. 

When the last performer left the stage and passed Lena, she wished her good luck before she went up. Lena thanked her, took one last breath, then turned to face the judges. It was now or never.

Alex stood as Lena made her way to the front. She announced her name, then made mention of what it was that she'd be performing. Alex then kept her eye on her as Lena sat at the piano, and adjusted the mic. Alex took note of how much more relaxed Lena looked then, and they locked eyes once more, before Lena passed her a smile; one that Alex easily returned. A second later, Lena began to play.

The notes of the piano and the melody it created, woven in with the sound of Lena's voice that sang to, "Someone Like You," from the "Jekyll and Hyde" musical, sounded magical to Alex. She wasn't sure if it was the acoustics of the theater, if Lena had tweaked something last minute and had taken everything up a notch, or if she had been so oblivious of Lena's talents. Whatever it was, watching and hearing Lena's angelic voice, accompanied by her deft fingers playing the soft, yet powerful melody in person, left Alex at a loss for words. The moment was enrapturing, and there was something to be said at seeing Lena perform on stage. It was as if she was in her element. It was as if she belonged there. And in all that, Alex found herself caught up in Lena's spell. Her heart had been racing throughout the performance, though she chalked it up to being nervous for Lena. At least, that's what she convinced herself it was...

  


* * *

  


The next day, Lena received word that she'd been accepted into the final line-up. She exclaimed with joy, practically giddy with excitement, then called Alex first, before anyone else.

  


"Lena! That's amazing! See? I told you you were going to kill it! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!"

"I couldn't have done this without you, Alex. I owe you. Big time."

"Well, don't thank me yet. We still have a song to come up with, and the final act to solidify. But, I have no doubt that whatever it'll end up being, is gonna rock those fancy socks off those money bags in the audience."

  


Lena chuckled at the slightly spiteful reference.

  


"Alright, well, we should totally celebrate. I'm taking you out."

"Alex, that's not necessary. Besides, if anything, I should be taking _you_ out. I owe you more than anything."

"Hmmmm...nope. I got this one, Lee. Besides, wouldn't your dear old mommy scold you for frivolously squandering her money away, on a low-life musician like me?"

  


Lena instinctively rolled her eyes.

  


"For one, you're no low-life, Alex. Give yourself more credit. And two, my mother doesn't care if I use my card for food."

"Okay, well, for one, I do give myself credit, thank you very much. It's your mother who doesn't seem to appreciate music and those involved with it. And two, who says we're just going out for food?"

  


Lena could practically see the sly look on Alex's face, which made her smile.

  


"At the rate this conversation is going, we're just going to continue arguing about who's paying for what and not actually go anywhere," she teased.

"Alright, alright, fine. Lemme check into some places. Come over. We can decide together."

  


* * *

  


A few hours later, the two found themselves at a fairly lively pub that happened to be close to Alex's college campus. It was relatively average in size, with not too many patrons, but enough so, that you'd still have to maneuver around people to get from one end to the other. 

Lena looked around; her eye caught onto the makeshift stage in the far corner. It wasn't much really, just an small, elevated platform that could barely hold a handful of people, but she was drawn to it. 

Noticing her stare, Alex followed with an explanation.

  


"So, this place not only has the best pizza around campus, but they also do live performances from time to time. Tonight, there's this girl I know playing, M'gann. She's a guitarist, and she's amazing. She writes her own songs, got a decent following on YouTube and has been working to get more publicity. Her voice is really good too. Like, really good."

  


Lena smiled softly. Alex did the same before she stared down at the menu. Lena, however, kept her eyes set on Alex. She felt so lucky to have been reintroduced to her, and now their friendship has given her the opportunity to talk with a peer who shared the same sort of passion and enthusiasm for music. She appreciated the kinship so much more. She honestly believed that she could listen to Alex talk about music over and over and—

  


"What?" Alex looked up from the menu, bashfully displaying a half smile as she felt eyes searing into her.

  


Awoken from her, "not-so-discrete" stare, Lena shook her head slightly. Her lips were caught between her teeth, as her eyes quickly darted down towards the menu, suddenly captivated by the jumble of words that popped up, like "pizza", and "eggplant" and "arugala".

  


"Nothing," she eventually mumbled. "I just...this is nice, thank you."

  


Alex caught on to the slight apprehension in Lena's movements and shake to her voice, and couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, Lena was interested in her. She had to admit, since last night's performance, Alex couldn't stop thinking of her. It wasn't until hours into that restless night, that she wondered if there was even the possibility of something more. On the other hand though, Lena was Kara's best friend, was two years younger, and didn't even know if she was gay. She thought perhaps she was reading into it too much. Lena had been stressed and worried since being repressed from music by her mother, and now, she's beaming. Maybe, Lena was just being overly excited at finally being one with music again...

Despite trying to hide her feelings on the situation, she found herself momentarily caught up in the way Lena's hair draped perfectly along her shoulders, with a tuft of it tucked behind her hair. There were a few strands that had gotten loose when her head tilted down towards the menu, and were brushing up against her cheek. She really should tuck it back for her...

Realizing she was getting too caught up, she shook herself from her thoughts, and refocused on her menu.

  


She cleared her throat, promptly following it with, "You haven't even witnessed half of this evening. It gets better, I promise."

  


Alex's eyes flicked up from the menu once more and caught Lena's looking back at her. They shared shy smiles again, then attempted to keep their focus on ordering, or else they'd be there all night without having eaten a thing.

  


* * *

  


An hour later, they were filling themselves with slices of Neapolitan Pizza, topped with fresh mozzarella, basil, and a sprinkling of chopped tomatoes. Its airy crust, slightly charred from cooking in the brick oven pizza, was perfect. As they ate, Alex's friend took stage. The fullness and passionate sound of her voice, made Lena fall in love with it. Alex hadn't been joking. As she continued to listen, the woman inspired her further. Her agile fingers effortlessly played the guitar, humming perfectly tuned notes, as she fingerpicked the strings with ease. M'gann sang contemporary music and performed a mixture of cover songs as well as original pieces. Alex occasionally pointed out some facts about the originals, and made mention of the stories behind some of them. Lena later found out that Alex knew a lot, since they were both enrolled in the same curriculum at school.

While Alex was finishing the last bite of a garlic knot, the waiter had come by to drop off the check. Lena swiftly picked it up.

  


"MMMrrrmph!" Alex called out behind a mouth stuffed of half masticated dough, as her arms flailed about to gesture for the check. She fought to swallow that lump, nearly choking in the process. Teary eyed, she finally managed to say, "Lena! No, it's my treat!"

"Too slow, Alex. Maybe if you weren't busy shovelling that last bit into your mouth, you'd have gotten to it first," she teased, pulling out her wallet and credit card.

"But it was tasty! And to be fair, it was just like a split-second!"

  


It almost sounded like whining, the way Alex's voice peaked, especially when you added it with that bit of a pout she wore. Lena couldn't help but chuckle. She's seen Kara do this very thing before.

  


"Losers weepers, Alex."

  


The mock frown was cute though, Lena thought. Definitely like Kara.

  


"Well, this night's not over yet, Luthor. I've still got one thing up my sleeve that you'll love, and this time, I've got it."

  


Intrigued, Lena raised a brow in suspicion, but Alex just smiled coyly.

  


"Come on, let's get going. Don't wanna be late anyway."

  


* * *

  


They took an Uber through town and arrived at a quaint theater near the outskirts of the city. They walked inside and approached the teller at the window.

  


"Hey, how's it going?"

"It's going well, thanks for asking."

"Good to hear," she smiled. "I'm here to pick up two tickets under the name Danvers."

  


The older woman looked at what appeared to be a letter organizer of paper-clipped envelopes. Her fingers flicked through them until she reached a particular grouping.

"Ah, here it is. Danvers. Alex?"

"Yep, that's me."

"Alright. That'll be $76.22."

  


Alex swiftly handed her her credit card and the woman rang her up.

  


"Alex," Lena said, touching her arm. "What?..."

"It's fine, Lena. My treat tonight, remember? Don't worry, it'll be worth it. I promise."

  


In doing so, their eyes caught one another and they exchanged those soft smiles once more. Lena probably let her hand linger on Alex's arm longer than she should've, but from the look on Alex's face, it was evident that she didn't mind at all.

When they reached the inner doors, Alex handed the tickets over to the usher, who directed them towards the right side of the venue. It was then that Lena took a chance and leaned into Alex's side, capturing the woman's bicep in her hand.

  


She whispered shortly thereafter, "You really didn't have to do this, you know?"

  


Was it seconds that passed? Or minutes? Certainly not more than a few minutes. It had to be seconds. Whatever it was, all Alex could do was get lost in feeling Lena's warm breath float across her ear; that sensual feeling that sent tingling sensations through her body and erupted into goosebumps. She was relieved Lena couldn't see them. A minor shudder ran through her though, before she found her voice.

  


"I um...I wanted to. This'll be good...I know you'll like it. Well...I hope you do anyway," she shrugged.

"I'm sure I will," Lena smiled back. And, if she was gripping Alex's arm a little firmer than she had before, Alex didn't say a thing.

  


* * *

  


When they finally took their seats, they glanced around. The theater wasn't packed, but was rather full for a local performance. After a while, they looked at the makeshift playbills, with Lena studying its contents thoroughly.

  


"A musical?" she questioned, her eyes still focused on the synopsis and character listing.

"Mhmmm."

"Why?"

  


Alex turned to face Lena. After a brief moment, Lena shifted to face Alex. She felt those brown eyes' staring at her.

  


"Lena...after last night. After you sang that song, live, in its final state, I...I was in awe of you," she said with a bit of a nervous tremble. "Your voice was beautiful, Lena. I really think you'd be a great artist one day and, you know...the way you handled the arrangement and the melody — I know this is kind of random, but...you know, I think you could do musicals too. You have the voice for it. I mean, acting aside, I don't even know if you'd be into that sort of thing, but—"

  


Lena reached over and placed her hand on Alex's arm, stopping the woman from her rambling.

  


"Thank you."

  


The sincerity of the words that fell from her lips, the smile that followed thereafter, the glow in her face and the misty eyes that accompanied them, spoke volumes to Alex. It filled her heart, knowing how much it all meant to Lena and how grateful she was for it. It didn't matter if "it" meant taking her to the production, or her ineloquent sputtering of words. What mattered was that she somehow made Lena just that happy.

  


* * *

  


By the end of the show, they both were wiping back tears. Lena had been to live productions like this before with her mother, but none touched her in the way this amateur performance had. She thought, maybe it was because artists at this level — who were trying to establish a name for themselves — pushed themselves harder, or maybe it was the intimate feeling of the theater, or maybe, it was even the company she was with, that made this particular romantic musical so special. Whatever _it_ was, _it_ was magical.

  


"Well, I've kept you up past your curfew. Wouldn't want your mom on my case," Alex teased as they walked out of the theater. "We should probably get you home."

  


Lena raised her brow, seemingly peeved, though not at all, which caused Alex to chuckle.

  


"I am a senior in high school, Alex. Not some middle-schooler."

"Yea, but your mother is still Lillian Luthor. I've heard the stories from Kara. I'm definitely not taking my chances there."

  


Lena just shook her head and chuckled. While they stood outside together, she pressed up against Alex's side and slipped her hand to gently to hold onto Alex's bicep once more.

On the Uber ride back, they talked more about the performance, the voices of the main actors and actresses, and the possibility of being part of a show like that. After having experienced how moved she'd been that night, Lena actually humored the idea.

  


* * *

  


Alex accompanied Lena up to her door, and stopped just short of the entrance.

  


"Well, you should probably get some rest. We really need get our heads cleared up and focused on this original piece you plan on performing."

"I really hope I can come up with something..."

  


The worry on Lena's face began to show. All of a sudden she felt the gravity of it all once more. It wasn't just finding a song — she's written songs before, but none of them felt right for this event — it was everything else that this performance meant. Showcasing her abilities to make Mr. J'onzz proud, having her mother witness what she's capable of, the possibility of her future hanging on what her mother sees... It all came crashing down on her. Her shoulders slumped, creases formed between her brows, and her body grew tense.

  


"Hey..."

  


Alex came close and put her hands on Lena's shoulders once more, just as she had done before the audition. The firm grip ground her and returned her back to the present. When she looked up, Alex's eyes seemed like they were searching hers for a moment. Then, there was silence. Alex's words had gotten stuck in her throat, but Lena waited patiently. There was a train of thought there for a second, but the moonlight glow on Lena's face—

  


"Alex?"

  


Coming back to reality, her initial thoughts resurfaced. "I um...sorry, I— What I was going to say was that it'll all be fine. I know there's a lot riding on this, but I'll be here, every step along the way. We'll find that song, Lee. Then, you'll rock it, just like you did the audition. Your mother will finally recognize what a wonder you are, and like your instructor said, you'll be free. It'll all work out. I promise."

Lena stood there, eyes misting over once more at Alex's words. Overwrought with emotion, her hands slipped onto Alex's chest, grabbing the lapels of her leather jacket, and forcibly pulled her close, crashing their lips together, and pressing hard against one another. Alex choked out a sound, as she was taken by surprise; her eyes kept wide for only a fraction of a second before she closed them, allowing herself to fall into it. Her hands continued to hold onto Lena's shoulder's tightly, as her lips parted slightly to share a proper kiss. Soft and pliant lips slid across the other's, caressing each other, with repressed emotions flowing out through them. But, they kept it controlled and tender, for fear of scaring the other off, or making the moment feel like it was too much too fast. When they parted, Lena just smiled shyly.

  


"I'm sorry. I hope that was okay."

  


Alex smiled, placed her hands upon Lena's cheeks lightly, and stared into those beautiful green eyes that now were glowing in the moonlight. She then pulled their faces in close, allowing their lips to meet once more.

  


"It's more than okay," Alex whispered into the near non-existent space between them.

  


* * *

  


Needless to say, the two found themselves in a budding relationship. Alex would still have video chats during the week when she couldn't be there in person, she'd come over on the weekends to talk and kiss and help Lena with her song, and Lena would text her sweet thoughts of encouragement, when schoolwork was bringing her down.

The whole thing definitely made for a bit of distraction though. At times, they found themselves on Lena's couch cuddling and watching a movie, or on the bed or floor, limbs intertwined as they made out, which occasionally led to much more — happily taken aback when they'd wake to a naked body pressed alongside them. And, as much as they kept losing themselves with each other, wanting nothing more than to spend every moment holding hands, exchanging soft gestures, cuddling, lips caressing the other's, and feeling every bit of skin-to-skin contact they shared, they had to stay focused. Something much bigger was at sake, and Alex had the forethought to limit their intimate foreplay and stay on track. It was difficult, but, it had to be done, for Lena's sake.

So there they were, situated in the open space of Lena's home where the piano sat. On the bench, Lena toyed with different melodies. Alex, who was pressed up against her side, worked with her to add and modify notes that complimented the tune that Lena had been working with. They went back and forth like that for a while, with Lena hoping that having the right melody would inspire the right words to come out along with it.

  


"I like it," Alex said, as she wrote down the final note to the fragment of the melody they were working on. "Have you had any inspiration hit yet, on what the song says to you? It sounds very solemn so far."

  


Lena stared down at the keys, her fingers sitting lightly on top of the white bars.

  


"I'm not sure yet. I want to say it'll be a heartfelt piece though."

"I can sense that," Alex continued. Her hand slid over to cover Lena's. "Whatever this is going to be, I know it'll be great. Especially if it comes from your heart."

  


Lena's mouth curled into a smile and she shook her head, amazed at how romantic everything Alex said seemed to be. She turned and pressed her hand along Alex's cheek, stared into those big, brown, puppy dog eyes, then snaked her hand behind Alex's neck to pull her in gently for a kiss.

  


"You're amazing, Alex."

"No, you are, Lee."

  


* * *

  


And so it went on, toying with melodies, and waiting for the words to flow. With their relationship filling in the gaps, time flew by. It was nearly three months before the actual concert, and all Lena had was a base melody and a vague thought that this could be a love song. Alex was her inspiration. She couldn't have gotten this far without her, and she'd be lying if she wasn't thrilled to have found a wonderful girlfriend in the process. However, the words just weren't blending correctly. Verses and choruses just weren't sounding right. What she wanted to say, wasn't translating at all.

By the time they neared the middle of the fourth month, Alex and Lena had compiled a number of variations of different melodies. They tried to construct the song by toying with the combination of notes to see which sounded better. They were getting closer, but not close enough. Lena was starting to lose hope.

  


"Babe, relax. We're halfway there. There's still time."

"Halfway there? Alex, I barely have a song put together. I have no lyrics to show for it, and I feel we've just been making a few inches of progress every day instead of massive strides! I'm just...," she sighed heavily, "What if I don't have a song ready in the next month and half?"

"Hey," Alex said, stepping behind Lena who sat on the piano bench. She bent down and wrapped her arms around her, placed a soft kiss at the top of her head, then placed her chin at the base of her neck. "It'll be fine, Lee. Really. We have all the makings of the song. We just have to figure out the arrangement. To be honest, all we need are some words to go along with it, and we can figure out the proper melody."

  


Lena held onto her girlfriend's strong arms and leaned her head against Alex's.

  


"I just...I don't know why my words aren't coming out. I can feel them. It's like I know what to say, but...it's not coming out right."

"Maybe you need a break."

"A break?" she chuckled sarcastically. "Darling, haven't you heard a thing I said? There's barely any time left. I can't afford to take a break," she huffed. "What I need is for this damn song to just come together so I ca—"

  


Alex turned her face then, and angled it so that she could kiss Lena. It silenced the frantic rambling.

  


"I didn't say for a long time, Lee," she said when they parted. "Look, maybe you need a change in scenery. Something to spark your creativity. My parents have the cabin a few hours out. We can go out there, relax, rent out an electronic keyboard to take with us, and see if that'll help. You never know."

  


Lena pulled away to give Alex a suspicious look.

  


"You're offering to take me away on an overnight trip to your parents' cabin... and do what exactly, Ms. Danvers?" she asked, with her tone suggesting that Alex was up to no good.

"Ugh, Lee, it's not always about us hooking up you know? Besides, I'm the one who's got my urges in check, unlike a certain Luthor."

  


Lena's mouth gaped, a look of mock offense plastered on her face before she shoved Alex away.

  


"Are you saying I'm easy?"

"Nope, just that you're hot for me," Alex said smugly, but then laughed when Lena shoved her away even further.

  


* * *

  


It was the next weekend when Alex took Lena out to the cabin. The air was crisp and fresh; the weather was cooler these days as fall quickly approached. On the first day, once they settled in, they decided to take a short hike around the area. They listened to nothing but the wind rustling through leaves, branches brushing up against each other, and random critters skipping about the trail, ducking behind bushes, climbing up trees or wrestling through the fallen leaves. Alex was right. It was a nice change of scenery.

Come dinner time, Alex plated themselves up some pasta. She'd taken the liberty of preparing her favorite sauce ahead of time, and took it along for their trip. She pulled out some french bread, sliced it up, then served it alongside with some butter.

The dinner went well, with Lena being surprised that Alex knew how to cook. However, Alex just admitted that it was really the only thing she knew how to make from scratch. She explained that it was her mother's recipe, and was a favorite of hers, so Alex made sure to know how to make it before she left for college. After they ate, they cleaned up, and settled into the living space. Alex set up the fireplace to ward off the drafty chill, while Lena set up the keyboard.

They honestly tried to stick to just relaxing and focusing on the song, but things took a turn when a bout of playful banter resulted in Lena pushing Alex away from her on the couch, and Alex's hand grabbing hold of Lena's wrist as she fell back, then yanking her girlfriend down on top of her. Kissing and caressing ensued, which led to, well...unproductive, but fun times.

The next day, Alex made breakfast — a simple serving of eggs, toast, and bacon — before they went for another short hike. They went in a different direction this time, with the trail being much narrower and steeper, which gave them a pretty decent workout by the time were ready to head back. Lunch consisted of BLTs that Alex put together using the leftover bacon. After that, they then headed out to the lake. They sat together on a blanket by the edge of the water, with Lena situated between Alex's legs, and Alex's frame wrapping around her from behind. They stared out into the vast landscape before them. It was a sunny — albeit cool day — with bright blue skies, puffy clouds and wisps of others. The distant forest was framed upon the mountainside, with its colorful treetops stretching and meeting the blue skies above. Below, the reflection of their surroundings shown on the surface of the lake, with tiny ripples disturbing the picturesque sight.

  


"This is perfect, darling. Thank you for taking me here."

"You're welcome. I hope it proves fruitful."

"Well, it has been quite romantic, especially after last night, Ms. 'I-can-control-my-urges'," Lena chuckled.

  


Alex just squeezed Lena tighter.

  


"Okay, fine. I lost that time, but, to be fair, you started it."

"Oh really now?"

"If you hadn't shoved me, none of it would've happened."

  


Lena craned her neck around to give Alex a disbelieving glare.

  


"You really think it's my fault just because I shoved you away? You were the one mocking me."

"Well....yea....but, you deserved it."

  


They continued teasing and laughing, smiling and hugging, kissing and loving one another until the sun began to set. After a while, they turned back home before it got dark. When they got back, Lena showered, while Alex prepped the leftover pasta for dinner.

After their meal, they swapped places, with Lena cleaning up dinner, while Alex showered. When Alex finally returned, she found Lena sitting on the couch, playing with one of the melodies they had constructed. She appeared to be focused, but Alex felt that she wasn't quite in the right headspace.

  


"How's it going?"

"The same?" she shrugged.

"I have an idea, come on."

  


Lena turned towards Alex, who had made her way towards a closet, and dug through it until she pulled out a pair of thick blankets. She walked back towards Lena and stretched out her hand.

  


"Come on. This'll be good. I promise."

  


Throughout the time that Lena's grown to know Alex, she'd learn to trust her whenever she added the phrase, 'I promise'. So she took Alex's hand without question, let their fingers intertwine as if it was habit at this point, and was led out the back porch.

  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   

> 
> Finally, we get to Lena's song! Sorry for the delay. Editing this was a chore. SMH. 
> 
> Anyway, this fic revolves around: ["Only Hope" by Mandy Moore](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obBUZEKuAgM) (From "A Walk To Remember")
> 
> There's also a reference to Alex singing here, and she sings: "Somewhere Out There" by Linda Ronstandt and James Ingram
> 
> Enjoy!! :)
> 
> P.S. If you thought there was much cheese and fluffy, over-the-top romantics in the last chapter, brace yourself. Lol. These two dummies went overboard.
> 
>   

> 
>   


Once they were outside, Alex led Lena to a small open patch of grass, not too far from the house. She laid out one of the blankets, sat down, then offered Lena a hand to join her.

  


"So...what are we doing out here?"

"Need you ask?" Alex looked at her incredulously. Upon receiving a questioning look, Alex rolled her eyes and gestured her hand up above. "The stars, silly. You don't get this view back home. I thought it'd be nice to just stargaze a bit. Kara told me you kinda did this in your backyard, which is...pretty mediocre compared to this. Come on, lay down with me."

  


Lena eventually did. She couldn't argue with Alex. Seeing the glittering sky up above them, with millions of stars poking through the darkness, easily visible to the naked eye, covering the expanse of the sky, was something she couldn't get used to. It _was_ amazing.

They laid there quietly, with Alex's arm around Lena; her head on Alex's shoulder. Their bodies were pressed close to one another, shielded in warmth beneath the blanket. Alex used her free hand to point to the various constellations up above. Lena quickly found out that Alex had a fascination with the stars, space and the galaxy overall, especially after she had mentioned theories about there being life on other worlds. Lena listened in patiently, ears attuned to Alex's voice, accompanied by the mild thumping of her girlfriend's heart against her ear, while her eyes focused on Alex's face and the foggy breath she let out into the cool air.

  


"You seem to have a soft spot for astronomy. Why'd you go into music instead?"

"Hmmm..." Alex took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I think I kind of thought with my heart a bit. My parents weren't too keen on my decision at first, since they always wanted what was best for me. But, they were supportive. I told them that I could always fall back on the sciences if music didn't pan out. I mean, with both of them being in the field and teaching me things along the way anyway, I knew I could totally find work with them in the future if I needed to."

  


As Lena listened in, she envied her slightly, wishing that her mother was just as understanding, and would see things the same way.

  


"Besides, after I sang my first song to them when I was really, really young, and then had them listen to me sing it over and over again, I think they were pretty convinced that I wasn't just a kid going through a singing phase."

  
  


_There's a song that's inside of my soul_  
_It's the one that I've tried to write_  
_over and over again_  
_I'm awake in the infinite cold_  
_But you sing to me over and over and over again_

  
  


"What song did you sing?"

  


Alex tilted her head, barely finding Lena's face in the darkness. Rather than telling her though, she decided to sing it. Lena hadn't really heard Alex sing before. Kara had mentioned previously that she'd done more singing with her friends when they had their band set up in high school, and that she partook in various performances, but Lena was never around to experience it herself. This time, she was. 

Not a moment later, Alex's voice cut through the silence of the night as she started to sing.

  


🎶_ "Somewhere out there....beneath the pale moonlight...someone's thinking of me, and loving me...tonight..." _🎶

  


Lena was instantly captivated, with musical notes filling her ears.

Alex then turned her attention up to the sky; the crescent moon was shining up above, dazzling bright amongst the stars. Lena watched as Alex lost herself to the moment, as if she'd been transported elsewhere, with memories and thoughts flowing through her, while the melody echoed from her heart, up through her vocal chords, and out into the vastness of their surroundings.

And somehow, in this very setting, the one where was Lena pressed up close to her girlfriend, spending time beneath the star lit sky, isolated away from all their troubles, it seemed perfect enough. But now, with Alex singing beside her, with words so loving, she couldn't have dreamt that it could get any better. She watched Alex, her eyes lovingly focused on the woman by her side. With each passing verse, her heart became fuller. Her mind lost track of the song; the melody far in the distance, as she allowed herself to just live in the here and now. She wanted to communicate how in love she felt with Alex at that very moment, but she worried that it was too soon; she worried that she'd butcher her words with her stammering and fumbling, and wished that she could express it as clear as a song...

  
  


_So I lay my head back down_  
_And I lift my hands_  
_And pray to be only yours_  
_I pray to be only yours_  
_I know now you're my only hope_

  
  


Lena then nuzzled even closer, wanting to be next to the beacon of hope and love that she found herself gravitated to. Her left hand crept up to Alex's chest, fisting a bunch of the fabric in her hand and holding onto her, as if she was afraid Alex would suddenly disappear; this dream, all too perfect to be real.

Her eyes shut for a moment, with Alex's voice still softly lulling her. Her mind fully relaxed in Alex's essence. But, when she did so, flashes of her mother, Mr. J'onzz, the concert organizers, her piano..., all came flooding in. Grasping tighter on bunch of fabric in her hand, she wished her days could always be like this; calm, quiet, with music surrounding her, and her love beside her. She figured that in order to make this dream last, she needed to put everything she had to make this work. She _had_ to write her song. In Alex's words, she'd have to "kill it". 

She took a deep breath, the scent of cool, crisp air, mixed with earth and nature, and Alex...

Alex.

Her mind then focused on Alex and the sudden silence of her voice. When she opened her eyes, she found her staring straight into hers.

  


"Thought you fell asleep there," Alex smiled, turning her body so that she could fully embrace Lena with both arms. She then dipped her head so that her nose was buried in the Lena's hair.

"I almost did," she admitted. "That song...your voice...it was wonderful, darling."

Alex hummed onto Lena's head. "I'm glad you liked it."

  


After a moment of silence, Lena spoke, her head still wrapped up close in Alex's embrace.

  


"I'm going to prove myself to them all, Alex."

  


Alex tightened her hold.

  


"I know you will, babe."

"You'll be there to help me....right?"

"Always, Lee. Always."

  


The air grew colder as the night went on, but they were so comfortably entangled with one another, that it was a rather difficult choice to make — to get up and go inside. Lena's slender fingers started to freeze, so she dug her hands down between them, accidentally catching the hem of Alex's shirt, which lifted up barely, causing her cold digits to brush up against a warm stomach. Alex yelped and glared down at Lena.

  


"You did that on purpose!" she mock scolded.

"No, I didn't," Lena laughed.

"You're laughing! You did so!"

  


Lena was unable to contain the giggles, but swore up and down that she had no intentions of pulling such an act. Alex however, had none of it.

  


"You're soooo like Kara!"

  


Alex then proceeded to wrangle Lena, attempting to get revenge by doing the same. Lena bravely fought her off, but couldn't manage to keep her at bay. Alex's fingers eventually found refuge at her bare sides and at the back of her neck. Both were left laughing and giggling so hard into the night sky, as they tried to best the other.

  


"Okay, okay! Truce!"

  


Alex looked at Lena with skepticism. Kara pulled tricks like this too.

  


"Truce. Yea?" Alex questioned.

  


Lena then smiled, shifted and rolled back ever so slowly towards Alex. She placed her hand on Alex's cheek and brought their lips together, sharing warmth breaths, along with cold noses and cheeks. And in that moment, Lena heard the melody of her song flow through her mind, with whispers of words dancing to the tune of the song. Her heart felt full, so she let herself fall into it. She knew better than to focus on it or pressure it, though. Willing it to happen could scare off that ghostly presence. Instead, she let her mind listen to the words of her heart.

Alex felt a quiet shift in Lena's demeanor. Eyes fluttering open, she looked at Lena. Lena's eyes were still shut, but only gently so, as if she was asleep. Their lips were still, but remained touching; the edges of Lena's barely capturing Alex's lower one. Lena's hand still cupped her cheek, her fingers still somewhat taut — it was the only indication that she hadn't dosed off. Eventually, Alex pulled away, eyes searching Lena's dimly lit face for answers.

  


"You okay?"

"Better than okay, love."

  


Of all the terms of endearment that Lena had used on Alex, "love" was never one of them before. She didn't want to ruin the moment; didn't want to see more than what was really there, so she kept quiet, content to just be the object of Lena's affection.

  


With a weak, but loving smile, Alex simply responded with, "Okay." 

And after a second or two passed, she spoke once more. "C'mon. Let's go instead before we freeze to death, kay?"

  


Lena agreed, reluctantly got up, but instantly regretted it due to the loss of extra body heat and the sudden feel of frigid air across her body. Alex grabbed the blanket off the ground, then bunched it up in a ball before offering out her hand. Lena happily took it, fingers intertwining like they always did these days, and made their way inside; shoulders touching and leaning into one another with each casual step they took.  


  


* * *

  


That night, after Alex had gone to bed, Lena laid awake. The song, still in its infancy, was piecing itself together in her mind. Unable to sleep, she got up, dug out her notebook, and started scribbling words, verses and phrases that kept repeating itself. The chorus started to form, the story started to unfold, and Lena couldn't stop. Occasionally, she'd pause to bend and twist her wrist, flexing it as it grew tired. During that time, she'd steal a glance at Alex, who continued to sleep soundly next to her. She looked so peaceful, so relaxed. Lena felt so lucky to have her. And while the melody in her head wouldn't stop, she had to take the opportunity to caress Alex's face softly, to allow her fingers to brush over the side of her head, and into her short, cropped hair. When Alex subconsciously hummed, with a barely there smile that started to tug at her lips, as she automatically leaned further into her touch, Lena couldn't help but smile. After becoming content with that cute and loving moment, she happily returned to her scribbling.  


  


* * *

  


After that weekend, Lena became quite busy composing her song. With all the pieces before her — snippets of verses, a chorus about hope, and bits of strung up notes and a near complete melody — Lena coveted every bit of time she could. She had to keep going while she was on a roll.

During that week, Alex would check in as she always did, with Lena only mentioning how she believed that she'd finally found her song. Alex was ecstatic and wanted dearly to hear it, but Lena wouldn't allow it. At the moment, it was still a work-in-progress, and not ready for general consumption. Its existence was meant for her, and her alone. At least for now. 

Alex did make a huff about it, but only jokingly. She knew how important it was to want to polish your work before it was presented to the world, so she just kept quiet. She'd mostly ask for updates to see how it was going, and if Lena needed any help, but Lena would only respond with, "It's going well" and "No, thank you". That dynamic went on for at least another week.

By the fifth month — a month before the actual concert — Lena had a finished her song. The words were perfect. The melody was perfect. Her heart, moved by the full composition. 

The following weekend, Alex had come over, excited to check-in, since Lena had simply texted her with, "It's done."

  


"Okay, okay," Alex said eagerly. "Lemme hear it! Lemme hear it!"

  


Lena then came up to Alex, her hands now gripping her girlfriend's shoulders to ground her. Alex smiled knowingly. The gesture wasn't lost on her, and she just let out a huff of laughter before placing her hands on Lena's waist to pull her in for a soft, caressing kiss.

  


"I can't let you hear the song, Alex. I'm sorry."

"Wait. What? Why?"

"I want it to be a surprise."

"Oh, come on. Pleeeeeease," she begged, pulling that puppy dog look that Lena now knew was synonymous with the Danvers sisters.

  


As much as she wanted to hold back, excitement rattled her bones as well. Lena wanted to play the full song for Alex so badly, but she also wanted to see her reaction when she was up there, on stage, singing that song for her. _Her_ song, _for_ Alex. After some thought though, she conceded. But only a little bit.

  


"Okay, I'll let you listen to the melody, but I can't let you know the lyrics, or hear me sing them until the night of the concert."

  


Alex groaned at being denied the full experience, but eventually relented, figuring it was better than nothing.

  


****

~~~~~ _([Piano Accompaniment](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG_qmL2XLSg))_ ~~~~~

  


After the song was done, Alex sat there with a look of pride and joy.

  


"Wow, that sounds amazing, Lena. I love that arrangement. I can't wait to hear the lyrics to it."

"In due time, love," she smiled.

  


It was the second time Lena used that term on Alex, and it felt no less amazing as it fell from her lips. Alex decided then, that she'd be Lena's love for as long as she'd let her.  


  


* * *

  


After a full month of practice, Lena felt ready. The song was in the best form it could be, and her voice and fingers played to the tune with practiced ease. 

At the night of the concert, she placed her sheet music in a portfolio and carried it with her. She wore a stunning red dress that evening. It was conservative, but showed off her features perfectly. With heels and jewelry that added that little extra 'oomph' she felt she needed, she strode into the venue with confidence.

Lena did arrive with her mother, but eventually separated from her, which wasn't hard since Lillian was always ready to schmooze with the other ritzy folks who were in attendance. And really, it was the only reason she had agreed to come to the event to begin with. After Lena had expertly dropped a few key names, Lillian was sold.

She then made her way backstage, where she met up with the organizers of the concert. She checked in, made sure that the piano was there, ready, and in tune, then found Alex waiting and pacing. Lena smiled; relief washed over her at seeing Alex's presence, at what should be, one of the most important nights of her life.

  


"Hey there, handsome," Lena teased, her voice breaking through the anxiety that Alex was caught up in.

  


Lena took in Alex's full form. She was dressed in a well-fitted suit that was masculine enough to stand out, but feminine enough to show off her curves. A red, skinny tie — a purposeful match to Lena's dress that she decided on last minute — finished the look.

  


"You clean up well, Alex," she smirked.

"Me? Lee...," Alex said, still drinking up Lena's form. "You...you look amazing."

"Flatterer."

"Just telling the truth."

  


Lena noticed how Alex's eyes haven't stopped ogling her.

  


"Alright, darling. Show's over. Come on. I don't want you to be a puddle of mess before I get up on stage," she said, as she pulled her off towards the side.

  


Alex squinted her eyes, gauging Lena's reaction to see what she exactly meant by that.

  


"Oh, don't give me that. It means whatever you think it means. Though...probably both definitions are applicable at this point," she winked.

"You're killing me tonight, you know that?"

"Oh?" she feigned innocence, earning her an eye roll from Alex.

"In every way possible, babe. You're gorgeous. I want you. And moreover, I'm dying to hear your song."

"Soon, darling. Soon," Lena responded, as she brushed her hand slightly across Alex's right shoulder, presumably to dust something off.

  


Lena then leaned into Alex, arms wrapped around her neck as they kissed. Alex's hands found purchase on Lena's waist as always. When they parted, Lena kept her head tilted forward; their foreheads left touching.

  


"Are you ready for this?" Alex asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Don't worry about anything, Lee. You got this. I'll be right here. I'll be with you the whole time."  


  


* * *

  


The evening went on for another half hour with schmoozing and the passing of delectable hors d'oeuvres catered by uniformed wait staff. At the 9pm mark, the charity president made an announcement, thanked all the guests for their attendance and their contributions, then gave a bit of a spiel about the good that their donations will be doing. Fifteen minutes later, he gave a special thank you to the performers and organizers, then announced that everyone should make their way over to the auditorium for the start of the concert. 

People slowly filed in from one room to the other, finding a seat by the stage. Lena and Lillian sat close to the front, so her mother could keep company with a few of the politicians she'd been wanting an audience with. At the time, Alex remained backstage. In all actuality, as much as knew of Lillian Luthor, and lived next door to her for god knows how long, she hadn't ever been formally introduced. She thought she'd seen Lillian in passing a time or two when she was younger. Though, she had no idea about how much Lillian of knew her, knew that Lena was gay, or if Lena had even mentioned that she was dating her. The details had been pushed aside, since the two were too focused on Lena's song and with each other. And really, with Lillian never even being around when Alex was, they didn't even get to see each other once in the past six months that Alex had been assisting Lena. They'd deal with that later though, and Alex knew that. She wasn't really worried about it. Well, not yet anyway. For the longest time, she's just been concerned with Lena's performance and how her mother will react to it. Tonight will be Lena's biggest performance yet, and one that could determine her future.

After about an hour and a half into the concert, Lena excused herself. Her mother paid no mind, finding herself actually entranced by the performers on stage. A violinist in particular, a woman named Eve Teschmacher, captivated her; her act nearly brought Lillian to tears. Lena had never known that music could reach her mother in such a way. It gave her that last bit of courage she needed. It gave her hope.

Backstage, Alex stood nervously alongside Kara.

  


"Oh my goodness, Kara! You made it!" Lena said with excitement as she approached them.

  


Kara met her halfway and pulled her into a hug.

  


"Of course, dummy. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. You've got this, kay? You're gonna do great."

"Thanks Kara," she smiled.

  


Alex then looked at Lena with a uneasy smile. Her guts were twisted up in a knot and had a bad case of nervous sweats going on.

  


"I feel like I should be calming you down, darling," Lena joked as she approached her, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"I haven't been this nervous since my band made its debut at Headliners six years ago," Alex rambled. "How are _you_ feeling?"

"My heart is racing a million miles an hour," she admitted. "but, overall, I'm feeling really good."

  


Alex's body loosened slightly at those words.

  


"That's great, Lee. At least one of us has their head screwed on right. You're gonna kill it, babe. I know you will. Break a leg, kay? We'll be right here."

  


In that moment, with adrenaline and confidence radiating through Lena, she kissed Alex once more, with her hands placed on Alex's cheeks.

  


"Alex?"

"Yea?"

"I love you."

  


Alex's eyes went wide for longer than Lena had anticipated. She chuckled, but then looked at her, half smiling and half worried.

  


"Alex? Are you okay?"

"I...I...you love me? Really?"

Lena let out a huff of laughter, before she smiled and responded, "I do."

  


This time, though still ridden with nerve-wracking apprehension and now shock, Alex was at least somewhat mobile and was able to swallow the lump in her throat and blink. However, her words still proved difficult to articulate; she clearly wasn't prepared for this. So instead, she pulled Lena in tight and pressed their lips together hard. When they parted, Lena watched as Alex inhaled deeply through her nose, and blinked a few times. Her eyes were misty, her heart raced and soared at the same time, and her stomach was doing somersaults. She was so overwhelmed with emotion that her next words come out shakier than she would've liked.

  


"I...I love you too, Lee...So...so much."

"Lena Luthor."

  


The three turned towards the stage director. Lena raised her hand and the man nodded back.

  


"You're up in five."

  


Lena nodded in return, then turned her attention back to Alex.

  


"That's me," she said with a nervous laugh.

"You got this, Lee," Alex said, her words more confident now, as her focus returned to the impending performance.

"Yea, Lena," Kara added, touching her arm. "Break a leg. And don't worry about this one," she said, as she haplessly threw her arm over her sister's shoulders and drew her close. "I got her," she finished, earning an eye roll from Alex and a light chuckle from Lena.  


  


* * *

  


A minute later, Lena found herself sitting behind the grand piano, shrouded in darkness behind the curtain. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and set her fingers on the keys.

  


"And now, a first-time participant at Grant Charity Concert, Ms. Lena Luthor!"

  


There was a round of applause as the curtain lifted and the spotlights lit over her. She took a quick glance into the crowd, spotting her mother, whose face was in shock, though, thankfully not appalled nor angry. She then turned forward, peered over the piano to see Alex and Kara holding hands, with Alex smiling and Kara giving a thumbs up. She smiled at them both, took one more breath and began to play.

Into the intro, deft fingers moved effortlessly across black and white keys. Lena's eyes were closed as she felt the song flow through her once more. And though the sheet music sat in front of her, it clearly wasn't needed. Everything was in her heart. Alex smiled at hearing the introductory melody, and recalled various memories that led this point. There was the first time she was captivated by the fullness of Lena's voice, followed by the first time they'd kissed, and all the time after, when they'd worked together at the piano to compose bits and pieces of the song. Then, there was the first time she heard the final melody, barely a month back; it all seemed so long ago though, when they had nothing but a few notes on paper, and Lena was merely a neighbor and Kara's best friend.

And after a moment, Lena began to sing.

  


🎶_ "There's a song that's inside of my soul...It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again..."_ 🎶

  


Alex's ears perked up at Lena's beautiful and angelic voice, making its presence once more. She immediately started thanking whatever deity it was, that gave her a chance to be part of something like this.

Lena continued singing with all her heart. Each verse, each word, each melodic chord that accompanied her voice, struck something in Alex. And for a moment, she took a chance to look into the crowd. They seemed to all be captivated as well. Lillian's mother, was silently watching. Alex almost swore she saw a beginnings of a smile, and it was enough for her to relax further. Lena was doing it. She was moving her audience. She was moving her mother.

  
  


_Sing to me the song of the stars_  
_Of your galaxy dancing and laughing_  
_and laughing again_  
_When it feels like my dreams are so far_  
_Sing to me of the plans that you have_  
_for me over again_

  
  


With her eyes still closed, Lena continued to perform. Her hands and body moved with the tune of the song. She found herself lost in it. She sang and played with precision, with everything coming out naturally — the product of hours and hours of practice, held strongly by the feelings in her heart. And though the biggest performance of her life was at hand, in her mind, all she saw was Alex.

She remembered when the song was first born. She remembered when it struck her out of nowhere. She remembered that night out at the cabin. More specifically, that night out under the umbrella of stars. Their bodies were glowing under the faint moonlight, shivering slightly in the coolness of the night, and Alex...oh Alex...Alex singing her rendition of "Somewhere Out There". All the makings of love was right there. As cheesy as it sounded — and Lena would only admit it to herself — it made that night all the more memorable.

Flashes of Alex, who was always there for her, kept coming into her mind too. There was that same night of laughing under the stars, then of course, the constant support and encouragement she'd been given throughout, in the form of kisses, hugs, light touches, and reassuring words . It got her to this point. It got her this far. She couldn't have done it without her.

  
  


_So I lay my head back down_  
_And I lift my hands_  
_And pray to be only yours_  
_I pray to be only yours_  
_I know now you're my only hope_

  
  


🎶_ "I know now that you're my only hope..."_ 🎶

  


Lena sang on. He voice grew with more passion as the song continued. The memories of Alex continued to flood her thoughts. She remembered the first time they kissed, that night at her front door, after Alex had taken her out to dinner, and of course, the musical. She remembered a bashful Alex, who gave her earnest words; words that came from her heart:

  


_"...what I was going to say was that it'll all be fine. I know there's a lot riding on this, but I'll be here, every step along the way. We'll find that song, Lee. And you'll rock it, just like you did the audition. Your mother will finally recognize what a wonder you are, and like your instructor said, you'll be free. It'll work out. I promise."_

  


Alex was her hope, her beacon, that guided her to this very moment. For a while, she almost could have sworn this whole thing was a dream; a wonderful dream about love and hope, and romance and music. So when that thought crossed her mind, she willed herself to open her eyes, ready to experience the reality set before her. And the first thing she laid eyes on, through the propped up surface of the piano, was the girl of her dreams. Lena's smile widened then, as her voice set in with even more vigor.

  
  


_I give you my destiny_  
_I'm giving you all of me_  
_I want your symphony_  
_Singing in all that I am_  
_At the top of my lungs I'm giving it back_

  
  


With each string of words that she sung, the audience was left practically out of view as she faced stage left, the blurriness of figures left in her peripheral view. Straight ahead, all she saw was Alex. _Her_ Alex.

With every breath she took, with every word she sang, it originated deep from within her, echoing nothing but sincere gratitude for everything Alex is, was and continued to be. She was her hope, her love, her everything.

The strength and elegance of her voice, full of passion and heart, reverberated throughout the theater, falling on the ears of those who knew nothing of the struggle Lena had dealt with to get to this point. They knew nothing of her will to succeed at this very moment; not just for recognition, but for her right to live her life the way she wanted to. And of course, they knew nothing about Alex; the one for whom this song was dedicated to.

  
  


_So I lay my head back down_  
_And I lift my hands_  
_And pray to be only yours_  
_I pray to be only yours_  
_I pray to be only yours_  
_I know now you're my only hope_

  
  


As Lena segued into the outro, she finished just as strong as she started. Maybe, even stronger. Her voice flowed throughout the theater; her notes carrying over the piano's melody. When she was done, the round of applause that ensued was deafening. It was that sound that finally stole her attention away. It reminded her that she was playing for an entire audience; one that was with her throughout the entire musical number, just like Kara. Just like Alex.

The audience stood, acknowledging her talent and her debut performance. Then, Lena stood too, her eyes teary from seeing such a reaction. She brought her hands up to her face, trying to hold back the emotion that was nearly overflowing from within. It was then that she remembered that there was one other important person there. Her mother. Her eyes darted to where she sat, but was suddenly taken aback when her mother was nowhere in sight. Disappointment, worry and fear started brewing in the back of her mind, but she couldn't do anything at the moment. Not while on stage.

Before those negative thoughts consumed her, she suddenly felt the presence of a warm body and strong arms around her. Turning her head, she saw that it was Alex. There were tears in her eyes too, along with the biggest smile on her face, and excitement written all over it. They basked in Lena's moment in the spotlight, before Lena gave a slight bow. Her hand caught on to Alex; a silent signal for her to do the same. Without knowing what else to do, she followed Lena's lead. When they stood upright again, Lena raised their joined hands to the audience; another silent signal. It was an acknowledgement of Alex and her part in everything.

The president of the organization then announced Lena once more and congratulated her on her amazing debut. The two then bowed once more before exiting. When they got backstage, Kara nearly jumped on Lena, and engulfed her in a big embrace, congratulating her as well.

  


"You did amazing, Lena! You should be so proud of yourself."

"I am," Lena said happily, before her smile faded at the memory of her mother's disappearance.

"Lena!"

  


The three looked over to see Mr. J'onzz rushing over to them.

  


"My dear Lena," he said, as he finally got close enough to pull her into a hug. "You did an amazing job out there. I knew you could do it, and you did. You did it so much better than I had imagined. Your mother must be beside herself right now, kicking herself for preventing you from pursing this art, for which you have such a talent for."

"Thank you, Mr. J'onzz," Lena responded meekly. "I'm not sure that—"

"Lena."

  


Her mother's voice cut through everyone else's. They all turned and found the tall woman, slowly approaching the circle. Kara and Mr. J'onzz inadvertently backed away to give them room.

  


"You disobeyed me."

  


Lena looked down; the glow from her success slowly diminishing. Alex, who stood by her side the whole time, nearly stepped forth to defend her, but Lena grabbed her hand and clasped it tight within her own, preventing Alex from continuing. Lillian, being as observant as she is, noticed that small set of movements, so her eyes swiftly darted to the redhead, whose eyes were fierce and stood prepared to pounce if she needed to. Lillian then smiled smugly, returning her attention back to her daughter.

  


"Lena."

  


Lena looked up, prepared to endure more chastising for her decision. However, she saw Lillian's eyes soften. The stern look melted away, leaving behind a kind and genuine smile on her face instead.

  


"Dear, I had no idea."

"Mother?"

"Lena. You were so wonderful out there. Your talent...," she said as she shook her head slightly. "You have such talent, Lena. I had no idea of the degree to which you were capable of achieving. I was a fool to try to hold you back. Your performance out there tonight...All those people whose hearts you touched with the simple ability to sing and play the piano...," she shook her head again. "I'm so sorry, Lena. You do deserve the right to choose your own path and show the world your talents, and that includes music."

  


Everyone within earshot lowered their guard, surprised fully by the turn of events and sudden change of attitude of the ever stern, Lillian Luthor.

Lillian then stepped forward, and opened up her arms. Lena willingly stepped into it. Tears ran down her face at finally feeling her mother's acceptance and support of who she was and what she wanted to be. Alex stayed back, and watched the moment unfold. When they separated from their embrace, Lillian once more looked over at Alex.

  


"Mother, this is Alex Danvers. You may remember her. She lives next door."

"Alex. Of course. You've grown, dear."

"I um...yes ma'am I did."

"Mother, Alex was the one that helped me do all of this. She's studying music at National City University and was kind enough to work with me on my arrangement and get me to this point."

"Is that so?"

"Well...I did what I can," Alex humbly admitted. "but, that wasn't really much. The whole thing was really all Lena's doing."

"Alex."

  


Alex then looked up at the woman who towered over her by a few inches. A grateful smile appeared in the wrinkles of her eyes, and the corners of her lips. She then stepped close and pulled Alex into an unexpected, casual, but thankful hug. By her ear, Alex heard the woman whisper, "Thank you."

When they parted, Lena shifted closer, intertwining her fingers with Alex as they held hands. Without any additional words, Lillian graciously nodded in acknowledgement of Lena's choice and of their relationship.

  


"Mrs. Luthor," Mr. J'onzz called out.

"Ah, Mr. J'onzz."

  


As they shook hands, Lillian acknowledged him gratefully.

  


"Thank you, for instructing and supporting my daughter so much to prepare her for this moment. I truly had no idea how gifted she was."

"My pleasure. I would love to continue working with her, if that's alright with you."

  


The two then looked at Lena, who shifted her gaze to Alex, then back to the other adults.

  


"I'd love that. May Alex continue to advise me at times as well?"

"Lena, after the performance you pulled, knowing that she was the one behind you through it all, she's more than welcome to be part of our lessons any time."

  


Lena beamed. Everything she ever wanted had finally came true.

  


"I told you you'd kill it," Alex said with a grin.

  


Lena then turned and closed the distance between them. Her hand took hold of Alex's tie, close to the knot and pulled her towards her. Their lips met with a kiss that felt like it had been repressed for much longer than it should've. It was a simple kiss that bound them, but one that finally acknowledged their success and their love.

  


"I love you, Alex."

"I love you, Lee."

"Let me be yours?"

  


The words of her song fell from her lips, wanting to hear Alex answer her prayer. Alex grinned happily, cupped Lena's face, and kissed her once more.

  


"Mine," she said, a smirk forming between their lips. The possessive word sounded right and a tad extra all at the same time. "And I'm yours too."

Grinning the same, Lena whispered back, "Mine."

  


**Author's Note:**

>   

> 
> As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
> 
> Please leave a comment or find me on [Tumblr](https://dreamsescapeus.tumblr.com).
> 
>   



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